More of Christ Less of Me

From His Bounty

A friend of mine was visiting and it turned out (omitting a long story) she was totally stuck for cash for food for her and her dependents. There were some rations on the table so that was given and I thought about my purse. I myself was really low on cash… So I gave the change, keeping the larger note for myself (which wasn’t really much more than the change). However, I felt convicted and decided in faith that I would swap the amounts trusting God would provide for my needs.

As I have mentioned in my posts before, I often feel as I am none better than the Israelites. God provided their daily manna and carried them through the wilderness. Yet, I fret about tomorrow. I quote Matthew 6:33 to others but I still fret time to time. Recently someone asked me whether I wasn’t worried about my financial security for when I get older, and shouldn’t I be saving up without living by the day. Two things came to my mind! Didn’t Jesus advise us not to store up treasures on earth? Also, what if the rapture takes place today? Would the storing up be beneficial?

Yet as believers, we still struggle – struggle in receiving and struggle in sharing, in giving! We have too much of pride and like the Israelites, we think it is the work of our own hands that provide for us. God’s Word is right in front of us, where God told them that He had tested them and to humble them before Him. Yet we do the same old thing over and over again.

We have plenty of disbelief. On the one hand, we stand in awe of God’s creation and state that He is sovereign. On the other hand, we are scared to let go of what we have on hand, to give to those in need. We claim we need to pray about it even if we see a basic need. Is it because we don’t trust in our Maker to provide what we need if we give away what we have?

“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,

how does the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3:17).

When the Pharisees challenged Jesus as the disciples had plucked the heads of grain on the Sabbath, Jesus’ reply was,

“Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God … and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?” (Mark 2:25)

Where is the house of God today? Isn’t it our bodies – that of you and me, those who believe in Him? The church is the dwelling place of God(not the physical building where believers gather). God intended the ‘house of God’ to be a place where needs of other believers are met without storing treasures on earth under the pretense of a ‘rainy day’ as He intends for daily bread. The early church actually operated like this…

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods,

and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:45)

Ummm… this is scary!! How close are we to this benchmark? How far away are we from this being a value that we live by? In fact, what struck me just now was the phrase, “Now ALL who BELIEVED were together”… How many of us actually BELIEVE??? Crumbs, I’m letting out a deep sigh here – I fall so far from this and whatever the meagre things that I actually do, is only by His grace… I so need more and more and more of His grace and also faith that He knows my needs even before I ask Him.

My head swirls, literally, thinking of the high standards that have been set for us disciples, those who are in the world but not of the world. Yet the more rooted we become in God’s love and the more secure we become in Him, the more we will be able to be His vessels of love.

David praised God,

“When you went out before your people, O God, when you marched through the wasteland, “Selah” the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, … You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. 10 Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor. … Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of [my] dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.” (Psalm 68:7-13)

Yes, we often forget His bounty and think in terms of the size of our purses or bank accounts… We overlook the fact that He owns the heavens and the earth and everything in it!!! Sadly we often (well I am guilty of this anyway) think of His provision like the bank ATM that dispenses cash from what is available in our bank account. We forget HIS BOUNTY!!

The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. (Deuteronomy 28:12 NIV)

What a promise!! Awesome isn’t it to think you will lend but not borrow… He can open the flood gates of heavens and let it rain…. the heavens are indeed the storehouse of His bounty…. Where is your trust – in heaven or the bank?

And as Paul wrote to the Philippians,

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (4:19)

Remember though to read this verse in context… “according to His riches in glory” as in proportion to how we invest / sow into His Kingdom… into His ministry / people…

Yes, may God supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus from HIS BOUNTY as you increase in faith to share whatever He blesses you with…